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Land plan change for senior center advances

The Ames Planning and Zoning Commission on Wednesday night moved forward with an amendment that could eventually pave the way for the development of a senior care center west of George Washington Carver Avenue and Northridge Heights.

Before the commission was a “Land Use Policy Plan and Urban Fringe Land Use Framework Map Amendment,” according to the commission action form.

The commission voted to recommend the Ames City Council move forward with the amendment that would incorporate land currently outside of the city limits into Ames in order to open up development for a senior care center and single-family homes.

Although the land is adjacent to the city and sits just outside of the city limits, it is not identified as an “allowable growth area” because of issues with the sanitary sewer.

The commission voted 5-1 to move forward with the amendment and then voted 6-0 to identify six factors the City Council should consider when reviewing it:

• Determining a proposal for the distribution of costs for needed sanitary sewer improvements.

• Considering the impact the area would have on emergency services response.

• Considering the impact on other areas targeted for growth.

• Investigating to make sure the developer’s agreement requires a care facility to be built on the property.

• Considering protection of natural area.

• Ensuring the area be provided with two zoning designations, including the minimum zoning requirement to allow for the care center, and also low density housing.

But the process still has several steps to go through, including going before the City Council, back to the commission and then back to the council. Any changes to the urban fringe plan must also be approved by the county and the city of Gilbert.

The county has signed off, providing the city annex the land, but the city of Gilbert has yet to take action, said Charlie Kuester, city planner.

Mr. Osguthorpe goes to Washington

Steve Osguthorpe, planning and housing director for the city of Ames, an­- nounced at the end of Wednesday’s meeting he has accepted a position in Washington state and will leave his post with the city later this month.

Osguthorpe, who has been with the city of Ames for nearly six years, will be the community development director for the city of Yakima. It will be a homecoming for Osguthorpe, who said he spent his childhood there, as well as spending 16 years of his professional career there before coming to Ames.

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